Exercise invigorates and enlivens all the facilities of body and of mind... It spreads a gladness and satisfaction over our minds and qualifies us for every sort of business, and every sort of pleasure.
John Adams
Although John Adams lacked the research capabilities of today's modern scientist, we now know that his anecdotal evidence was indeed correct. Art Kramer, LAS psychology professor who has extensively researched the topic of exercise and aging, says a brisk 20-minute walk several times a week will keep your cognitive skills firing on all cylinders.
In a recent lecture on the U. of I. campus, Kramer noted that although almost all of our cognitive abilities "go south" over our lifetime, regular exercise has "significant effects" on many cognitive functions. Kramer says that researchers can use a person's fitness level as a predictor of future cognitive ability.
Here are just a few of the benefits of getting off the couch and putting on your walking shoes:
- Exercise improves memory, task coordination skills, attention, and decision making.
- The amount of "beta-amyloid protein" in the brain decreases with exercise. Beta-amyloid matter is a precursor to plaque formation that is associated with Alzheimer's Disease.
- Exercise increases cardio respiratory fitness and reduces the probability of developing disorders such as hypertension and diabetes.
- Women on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in combination with exercise have been shown to exhibit a benefit in cognitive functions and brain health.
- A vital molecule found in the forebrain's hippocampus, "brain derived neurotropic factor (BDNF)" increases with exercise. Kramer says BDNF, often called the "quintessential molecule," is necessary for many forms of mental plasticity, including learning and memory.
Interestingly, some benefits you receive from exercise begin to decline after several days of inactivity, which leads to another often-cited quote: "use it or lose it."
